4. IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HOUSING

4. IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HOUSING

THE creation of better quality environment and houses was emphasized, including for low-cost houses. Under the public low-cost housing programme, new designs were introduced to optimize land-use through increased density and reduced construction cost. In addition, efforts were made to improve the quality of design of low-cost flats. As part of the effort to improve housing design and technology, particularly in the construction of lowcost houses, the Government organized a low-cost housing competition whereby participating developers were required to build a low-cost house below the fixed price of RM25,000 per unit by utilizing appropriate technology. The technical and planning standards of low-cost houses were continuously improved. To accommodate cultural and social needs, three bedroom houses with a minimum built-up area of 60 square metres, including a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom and a toilet are now standard requirements and new designs to improve living conditions and the environment have been incorporated. To improve the entire delivery of low-cost houses, the Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad was established, which is responsible for the construction, sale, resale and purchase of public low-cost houses. In addition, the Government undertook efforts to streamline regulations and laws pertaining to the delivery of low-cost houses. In order to uplift the quality of life of the rural community, traditional villages were upgraded with better infrastructure facilities, quality houses and greater opportunities to participate in income generating activities.

For new development areas and existing housing estates, facilities such as community centres, neighbourhood playgrounds, open spaces, public libraries, game courts, multi-purpose halls, places of worship as well as outdoor activities were provided. To cater to the demands of a more affluent society, developers gave more emphasis on greenery and landscaping as homebuyers wanted a more pleasant home environment. Essentially, four factors were given focus: design quality, a healthy lifestyle,community living and amenities, and safety and security. Many new housing development also featured lakes, themed gardens containing gazebos, cycling and jogging tracks and floating boardwalks. Aesthetic considerations were made with techniques such as eco-smart engineering and lakeside parks in former oil palm sites as in Putrajaya . Intelligent cities and telecommuting are also becoming more popular. House design, internal space and layout are being planned appropriately to enable for the creation of smart homes and interactive functions at home for business, private and Government-related transactions, education and recreation.

Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad

SPNB was incorporated under the Ministry of Finance Incorporated on 21 August 1997, as a fully government-owned company with a capital of RM2 billion. The objective is to increase the supply of houses costing RM150,000 and below, through the provision of bridging finance to housing developers in response to liquidity problems faced by financial institutions at the early stage of the financial crisis. Currently, SPNB is undertaking the rehabilitation of more than 173 projects involving 53,251 units valued at RM3.4 billion. Up to August 2004, 23 projects has been rehabilitated involving an expenditure of RM148.4 million.

Putrajaya Development

MALAYSIA’S Federal Government Administrative Capital of Putrajaya representss a dynamic and progressive nation committed to the concept of sustainable development. Putrajaya is named after the country’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj.

The Master Plan for the development of Putrajaya covered the Core Area, Peripheral Residential Areas and Parklands and Infrastructure and also Public Utilities. The Core Area is divided into five main precincts, which are the Government Precinct, the Mixed Development Precinct, the Civic and Cultural Precinct, the Commercial Precinct and the Sport and Recreational Precinct. The Peripheral Residential Areas comprises of 14 residential neighbourhoods and one Precinct of Wetlands and Wetlands Park. The infrastructure in the city, best reflects the Putrajaya duality project theme, i.e. A City In A Garden.

The Public Amenities of Putrajaya consist of the Putra Mosque, Putrajaya District Hospital, Health Clinic, District Police Headquarters, Fire and Rescue Station, Marine Police Dept, primary, secondary and international schools.

The development objectives of the city are:

• To build a well-planned modern city based on the concept of sustainable development;

• To build a city that reflects the rich cultural and natural heritage of the country;

• To develop a federal government administrative centre with the capacity and amenities to meet the challenges of the future.

• To develop a conducive residential, commercial and recreational environment where people can enjoy a high quality of life;

• To showcase Malaysia’s expertise in the management, planning, design, construction and maintenance of a large scale urban development project;

• To use predominantly local resources and materials in the development of Putrajaya.

Source: Perbadanan Putrajaya